Missouri Cop's Guilty Plea: Searching 20 Women's Phones for Nude Photos During Traffic Stops

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A former Missouri police officer, Julian Alcala, has pleaded guilty to searching the phones of 20 women without a warrant or probable cause during traffic stops. The misconduct occurred between February and May 2024, when Alcala would pull women over, take their phones, and search through them while claiming to check insurance information or vehicle registration. In some cases, he even took screenshots of the women's nude photos and sent them to himself. According to prosecutors, Alcala used his position to target women during routine traffic stops, accessing their phones and cloud storage without authorization. He was found to have nude images of 19 victims on his phone and cloud storage after an investigation was launched following the discovery of a forwarded explicit video. Alcala, 30, was a former officer with the Florissant Police Department in suburban St. Louis. He pleaded guilty to 20 misdemeanor counts, each carrying a penalty of up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. A felony obstruction charge was dropped as part of the plea agreement. Alcala is free on bond and is set to be sentenced on March 11, 2026. The case was investigated by the FBI, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug is prosecuting it. The guilty plea marks a significant step in the case, which highlights the importance of upholding the rights of individuals against unreasonable searches and seizures.